Process for treating hydrocarbons



Feb. 2, 1932. 1.. KIRSCHBRAUN 1,

PROCESS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBONS I Original Filed June 1, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. KIRSCHBRAUN PROCESS FOR TREATING HYDROGARBONS Original Filed June 1 1920 mN .M

Feb. 2, 1932.

Patented Feb. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LESTER KIRSCHBRAUN, OF LEONIA, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PROD- UCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA PROCESS FOR TREATING HYDROOARBONS Application filed June 1, 1920, Serial troleum oil, is the clogging up or burning out of the apparatus due to carbon formation on the Walls of the tubes; this is more particularly true where vaporization takes place.

As an object of the present invention, I propose to eliminate or greatly reduce the crustation formation of carbon in the vapor chamber by injecting heated fresh oil from the heating zone at various points in the elongated expansion chamber. This will insure there being at all times a sufiicient amount of liquid in all parts of the Vapor chamber to sweep out, or carry along the carbon through the residue line. It is well known that oils from different fields act differently when cracked, with reference to their carbon deposits, and it may be desirable to vary the amount of oil injected into various parts of the vapor chamber, not only with reference to the character of the oil treated, but in different stages of the same operation. For example, it may be desirable to increase theamount of oil in the forward or delivery ends of the vapor chamber toward the end of the run.

It is to be understood that the vapors which pass out of the vapor chamber are subjectedfirst to a reflux condensing action and thence to a final condensation, while the residue is constantly drawn off as the process proceeds. The reflux condensate is trapped No. 885,482. Renewed June 2, 1927.

and returned directly to the inlet side of the heating tubes.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation of my apparatus.

Referring in detail to the drawings,-1 designates the furnace in which is supported the heating coil 2 which forms the cracking zone. This coil may consist of 160 feet of four-inch pipe, and the inlet side of which is connected to a charging pump 3 leading to any suitable source of supply. Mounted in a suitable setting 4 is the vapor or reacting chamber 5, which may take the form of 80 feet of twelveinch pipe. The hot oil passes through manifold line 6 and branches 7, 8, 9 and 10, to each of the tubes of the vapor chamber. A throttle valve 11 is interposed in each of the branches 7, 8, 9 and 10, whereby the amount or percentage of oil passing to any tube of the vapor chamber may be controlled at will.

The residue is drawn off by line 12 controlled;

by valve 13 to any suitable receiver. A valve 14 is interposed at the entrance to the mani fold 6. This valve is preferably left wide open, but may, if desired, be more or less throttled to produce a differential pressure in the system.

The vapors pass out of the reacting chamber through risers 15, which are connectedto an aerial condenser 16. Thevapors which are condensed in the reflux 16, pass back through lines 17 and 18 to the pump 3, where they are mixed with the fresh charging stock. The incondensible gas and uncondensed vapors pass to a water condenser 19 and thence to a receiver 20. This receiver 20 is provided with liquid draw-off line 21, controlled by valve 22 and gas draw-0E 23 controlled by valve 24. I

In carying out the process in the early part of the operation, 65% of theoil may pass oil may pass through the pipe 7, 25% through pipe 8, 20% through the pipe 9, and 15% through the pipe 10.v

It is to be understood that these percentages are merely illustrative and will vary with the character of the pressure distillate and end point gasoline desired, as well as the character of the charging stock. Starting with a gas oil of 32 Baum from a Kansas held, the oil temperature in the cracking zone might be 750 to 800 F., and the pressure 100 pounds. 65% of the oil can be converted into pressure distillate of 51 Baum avity, yielding 35% of gasoline of 400 on point, this percentage being based on total chargin stock.

As above stated, this run is merely illustrative of one manner of carrying out the invention. No hard and fast limits can be given for different kinds of oil being'treated, and this, of course, varies still more where different end points, or difl'erent percentages of pressure distillate are desired. a

Particular advantages of this method of supplying oil to a vapor or reacting chamber reside in the fact that heat losses through conversion and vaporization of the lighter hydrocarbons are replenished by the introduction of adjusted quantites of heated oil from the heating zone at suitable intervals. llhe introduction of oil from the heatin zone in one place necessitates an excess 0 heat in the cracking tubes in order .to provide the heat necessary for conversion and vaporization and a consequent drop of temperature of the oil through the vaporizing tubes. As a result of this excessive heat, carbon is frequently produced in unusual quantities, in the latter elements of the heating tubes. By the described method of introducing the hot oil, a mild degree of heat can be employed, thereby eliminating dificulties attendmg this excessive heating in the cracking zone.

Also the introduction of the hot oil at predetermined i'ntervals to the vapor zone at points where the introduction is deemed essential, lends itself to the increasing of the temperature of the oil in the vapor zone to maintain a more constant temperature in this zone and prevent thereby excessive loss through the formation of incondensable gas and carbon.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of crackin oil, consisting in passing a stream of oil t rough a cracking furnace'where said oil is subjected to a crackmg temperature, in then delivering the oil to a reacting stage comprising connected chambers, in introducing difierent proportions of said'oil into difierent reacting chambers at points intermediate the length of the reacting stage, in takin off vapors from said chambers for condensation and collection, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on thesystem.

2. A process of cracking oil, consisting in eaaeee 

